Drying-machine.



B. B. FARNHAM.

DRYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 111111.25, 1913.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

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B. B. FARNHAM. DRYI'NG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 111111.25, 191s.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

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Witnesses- Atto rn eys B. B. PARNHAM;

DRYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Mmmm, 191s.

Patented Ma1.24, 1914.

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Attorneys BION B. FARNHAM, OIE' KENMORE, NEW YORK.

DRYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led March 25, 1913.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

Serial No. 756,812.

To all whom t may concern l Be it known that I, BIoN B. FARNHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenmore, in the county of Erie and State of- New York, have invented a new and useful Drying-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in veneer drying machines.

An object of the present invention is to provide a drying machine with a large number of drying rolls and with the drying rolls driven in pairs from a main driving shaft.

A further object is to provide means whereby the rolls are supplied with steam for the heating thereof and also means whereby the water of condensation will be removed as it forms.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combi-` nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this speci` cation and forming a part thereof, the preferable form of my invention has been illustrated, in which Figure l is a front view in elevation partially sectionalin character and illustrat-` ing the drying rolls, the method of intro` ducing steam therein and the removing of water therefrom. Fig. 2 is a top fragmental View of my improved drying machine. Fig.' 3 is a side view in elevation showing the driving side. Fig. 4 is a side view in eleva-- tion showing the steam supply side.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, represents the supporting legs to the upper extremities of which are secured the I-beams 2 2 there being two of the said I-beams extending longitudinally of the machine and forming the base or foundation structure upon which the rollers and various driving mechanisms are mounted. The legs 1 at the front and rear of the machine' are extended as at 3 and to the upper extremity of which is secured the beam 4. Extending between the top flange 5 of the I-beam 2 and the uppermost beam 4 are the bearing supporting members 6, each member being provided w1th.a flange 7 at its upper and lower extremitles, which flanges are rigidly secured to the said beam 4 and I-beam 2. The

bearing supporting members 6 are spaced a distance apartso as to support the bearings for the drying rollers, each pair of supporting members 6 rigidly supporting a lower roller and movably supporting an upper roller thereabove.

The rolls 8 are cylindrical in outline and are arranged in pairs one above the other as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, there being a large number of the so arranged rollers which extend transversely of the machine. To one end of these hollow cylindrical rolls are secured the flanged trunnions 9, the flanges 10 thereof being bolted to suitable bosses 1l formed at the ends of'the rolls, or may be secured thereto by brazing or other means as per the upper roll of Fig. l. The trunnions 9 are rotatably mounted in the bearing boxes l2. To the outer extremities of the trunnions 9 are rigidly keyed the spur gear wheels 13-13- The trunnion 9 of the lower roll is rotatably mounted `within its bearing box, which bearing box is rigidly secured between the bearmg supportin members and the lower roll 8 1s t ereby eld against lateral or vertical movement. The upper bearing box which supports the upper roll is mounted .slidably between the bearing supporting .members 6 and is provided with an upwardly extending lug or boss 14 secured to which is the rod 15. The said rod l5 extends through a suitable aperture formed in the beam 4 and is held against lateral movement by the same. Extending between the lower surface of the beam 4 and the upper surface of the bearing box is the spring member 16 which forces the upper roller downward into Contact with the lower roller and holds the same resiliently thereagainst. In order to limit the relative movement of the two rollersthe nuts 17 are secured toA the upper extremity of the rod 15 and are adapted to contact with the beam 4 and to prevent excessive movement of the said rolls.

mounted in suitable bearings is the driving shaft 18, power being transmitted thereto by means of the gear wheels 19, 20 and 21, the gear wheel 19 being rigidly secured to the driving shaft 18 and the gear wheel 21 is driven by some suitable source of power. The intermediate wheel 2O is mounted upon a bell crank arm 22 which is pivotally secured to the end post 3 as at 23. The wheel 2O is journaled within a slot 24 formed in one arm of the bell crank lever 22 and the other arm thereof is adjustably secured within a slot 25. The purpose of the intermediate gear wheel 2,0 is to provide means whereby power may be transmitted from the gear wheel 21 to wheel 19 and also to provide means whereby the gear 19 may be shifted a slight distance with relation to the gear 21. As illustrated in Fig. 3 the shaft 18 is provided with lworm gears 26 and these worm gears 26 contact with and actuate the lower spur gears 13 which latter gears in turn drive the spur gears thereabove. In this manner power is transmitted fro-1n the driving shaft 18 through the worm gears 26 to the lower spur gear of each pair of rollers and this gear in turn drives the one thereabove from which it will be apparent that there will be as many worm gears upon the driving shaft 18 as there are pairs of the drying rolls, and also that the power transmitted to the various rolls is not transmitted through all the other rolls but is derived directly from the actuating shaft 18.

From the foregoing it will be understood how the various pairs of drying rolls are actuated and the manner in which the power is supplied thereto. In order to supply the heating medium which will usually be steam to the interior of the cylindrical rolls 8 the hollow trunnions 27 are rigidly secured to the ends of the cylindrical rolls 8 and these trunnions are rotatably mounted upon the I beams 2 and between the upper beam 4l in a manner similar to that in which the trunnions 9 are mounted, the lower trunnion being rigidly secured in place by having its bearing box rigidly secured and the upper trunnion is mounted to slide with respect to the lower one by resiliently securing the bearing box to the upper beam 4. The outer extremity of the trunnions 27 are provided with the flanged packing joint 28 whereby the pipe 29 is passed through the aperture which extends through the said trunnions 27 and effects a. tight joint therewith, the packing joint in question comprising the flange 30 with the outer flange member 31 detachably connected thereto, the same being clearlyA illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The pipe 29 which communicates with the interior of the upper roll is provided with the valve 32 for regulating the flow of steam to the said pipe and the said valve 32 communicates with a steam supplying main 33. It is to be noted as shown in Fig. 4l, that the steam is supplied to the lower rolls by means of the pipes 34 which extend between each of the said rolls and communicates with the leaden pipe 29 thereof. The lower rolls are supplied by means of the main 34C it being noted that the mains 33 and 311 communicate with a suitable supply. In order that the water of condensation may be remo-ved from the various rolls approximately as fast as it condenses, the pipes 35 are positioned within the steam supplying pipe 29 and extend therethrough. rlhe extremities of the pipes 35 are bent downward as at 36 and are spaced a short distance from the innei` periphery of the rolls 8. rl`he pipes 35 there fore, will act as a Siphon whereby the water of condensation will be constantly removed from the cylindrical rolls 8 and therefore the entire rolls will be subject to the heataction of the steam.

rl`he pipes 35 extend beyond the steam pipes and communicate with the main 37, it being noted that as the steam enters the cylindrical rolls 8 a pressure will be obtained therein which will force the water of con densation out through the pipes 35 into the main or a suitable vacuum may be maintained within said main which will insure that the water of condensation will iow from the cylindrical rolls 8 into the pipes 35. lt is to be noted in this connection that the upper roller being provided with adjustable bearings requires that the piping which extends through the trunnions thereof be provided with means whereby the shifting of the said roller will not tend to distort the piping and with this object in View the pipe 29 may be lengthened so as to provide for suflicient resiliency thereof which will allow the upper roller to shift with relation to the lower roller, or a suitable sliding (not shown) joint may be installed within the piping or other equivalent means whereby the desired effect will be secured.

My improved drying machine is particularly adapted to dry veneer and the adjustable manner in which the upper rolls are supported provides that any unevenness of the veneer will be suitably taken care of. The lower or carrying roller is rigidly supported in its stationary bearings and means have been provided for the introducing ofv steam therein and the draining of the water of condensation thereon, the result being that the lower roller will have the entire inner periphery thereof subject to the heating action of the steam. The upper or compressed roller is mounted directly above and contacts with the lower roller and is adapted to shift relative thereto. These rollers are also adapted to receive steam or other heating mediums therein and also means have been provided whereby these llO rollers will always be maintained practically free of any water of condensation. The manner in which the various rolls are driven provides that a large number of the rolls may be assembled in one machine which would otherwise be impractical if the power was transmitted from roll to roll byrmeans of spur gearing.

Having thus fully described the invention what I claim to be new, andl original with me is l. In a drying machine, the combination of a pair of spaced base beams, a pair of spaced top beams mounted above the said base beams and carried thereby, bearing supporting members arranged in pairs and rigidly secured to the top and base beams, bearings slidably disposed between the said bearing supporting members, resilient means engaging said bearings and the top beams adapted to hold the same resiliently in place, hollow cylindrical carrying and compress rolls rotatably carried by said bearings and arranged in pairs, means for admitting steam and exhausting the water of condensation to and from said cylindrical rolls, and means for positively driving each of said rolls.

2. In a drying machine, the combination of a pair of base beams, bearing supporting members rigidly secured to said beams and extending upwardly therefrom, top beams carried by the upper extremities of said bearing supporting members, bearings slidably disposed within said bearing supporting members, resilient means engaging the top bearing and the top beam to resiliently hold the former in place, hollow cylindrical carrying rolls extending transversely of the base beams, and arranged in pairs, one end of said cylindrical rolls provided with flanged trunnions, said trunnions journaled within said bearings, gear wheels rigidly secured to the extremities of the trunnions, a shaft extending parallel to the said base beams provided with worm gears secured thereto meshing with the gear wheels of the lower cylindrical rolls, the opposite ends of said hollow cylindrical carrying and compress rolls provided with flanged trunnions secured thereto, said trunnions provided with apertures extending axially therethrough and provided with packing joints Copies of this patent may be obtained for at the outer extremities thereof, steam inlet pipes extending through said trunnion apertures and effecting a steam-tight and rotatable joint therewith, steam controlling valves communicating with said steam inlet pipes of the upper rolls, steam mains communicating with said steam valves and said steam inlet pipes, discharge pipes fitting within said steam'inlet pipes and provided with the inner extremities thereof bent downward within the carrying rolls and terminating adjacent the lower inner surfaces thereof adapted to conduct the water of condensation therefrom, discharge mains communicating with said discharge pipes, the said valves adapted to control the supply of steam to the upper cylindrical rolls.

3. In a drying machine, the combination of a pair of base beams, bearing supporting members rigidly secured to said beams and extending upwardly therefrom, top beams carried by the upper extermities of said bearing supporting members, bearings slidably disposed within said bearing supporting members, resilient means engaging the top bearing and the top beam to resiliently hold the former in place, hollow cylindrical carrying rolls extending transversely of the base beams, and arranged in pairs, one end of said cylindrical rolls provided with flanged trunnions, said trunnions journaled within said bearings, gear wheels rigidly secured to the extremities of the trunnions, a shaft extending parallel to the said base beams provided with worm gears secured thereto meshing with the gear wheels of the lower cylindrical rolls, the opposite ends of said hollow cylindrical carrying and compress rolls provided with flanged trunnions secured thereto, said trunnions provided with apertures extending axially therethrough and provided with packing joints at the o-uter extremities t-hereof, means for admitting steam and exhausting the water of condensation to and from said cylindrical rolls.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BION B. FARNHAM.

Witnesses:

JOHN I-I. BRINKMANN, ELIZABETH MGEAGHERN.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ot Patents, Washington, D. C. 

